Crossing for trolley conductors



Sept. 28 1926.

P. G: SWARS CROSSING FOR TROLLEY CONiDUCTORS led 00L 1925 2 sheets-sheet INVENTOR Pa u/ (26mins.

BY w d ATYQRNEY' WITNESSES 4 I P. G. SWARS CROSS ING FOR TROLLEY CONDU GTORS Filed 1 925 2 Sheets-Shoe. 2

l lllll ||l ll INVENTOR Paul Gbwars 4d BY ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 28, 1926.

a UNITED; STATES,

PAUL e. swans, or r'rrrsnunen, IEI I. NSYLV A KIA,ASSJIGiltKlIlZ'{ititl'W'ES1TZBIKEEETDUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, a conroRA'rIon or rnn vsynvamni.

CROSSING non TRonLEY oonnuc'ronszi My invention relatesto overhead equip-' ment for electric railways, and particularly to crossingsfor trolley conductors.

One object of my invention is to provide 5 a device of the above-indicated character that. shall be simple and durable in construction, economical :to manufacture and erect, and effective in operation.

. Another object of my invention is to provide a cross-over that will hold trolley conductors in afixed relation to each other at the point where they cross and keep them from rubbing against each other.

Another object is to provide a good electrical path between the trolley conductors, in order to prevent harmful arcing.

It'is also an object of my invention to reduce the number of parts, and at the same time'provide means for keeping the crossing from buckling.

In practicing my invention, I provide a crossing with a .body member having channels adapted to receive and hold the respective trolley conductors. The body member is provided with an aperture in its center, and located therein is a center-piece having grooves in its top portion toreceive the trolley conductors and a lug on its lower end to guide the trolley wheel. The center- 30 piece also acts as a compression. block and.

prevents the body member from'beco-ming distorted when under strain caused by the tension of the trolley conductors.

My invention will be more 'readilyim derstood by reference to the accompanying 7 Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the cen-.

ter-piece of the crossing. 1

Referring to the draw1ngs,-the structure therein shown comprises a crossing having a body member ,1 that is providedfwlth two pairs of channels 2, which are located on the top side of the crossing and are adapted to receive transversely disposedtrolley conductors 3. with two pairs of arms. 4 that extend along the trolley conductors 3 and-hold.thern.'in.;,

operative position; The arms or extended portions 4: may be so constructed'that they The body member 1 is providedwill firmly grip the trolley conductors, or

they may be constructed to reci-ve a trolley conductor approach member 5, of bayonet form, such as 15 illustrated in my copendmg application, Serial No. 632,183; filed April 16,1923, allowed May 8, v1925.

The body member 1 is also provided with an aperture '6 in its center, and an annular shoulder 7 is located in" the walls'of the I apertureparallel to the plane of the "crossing, the aperture and shoulder being adapted to receive and hold acenter-piece or compression block 8, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The upper: part of the centerpiece 8 is provided with channels 9 and 10 in' its I sides indifferent planes and at right'angles to each other. The=lowerpart ofrthe center-piece 8 is extended in thev form of a rounded lug 11 to act as a center guide for current collectors. The extension of the lug 11 also forms a ledge 12 on thercenter-piece 8 which is adaptedto rest againstthe shoul der 7 in the aperture 6 in the body member 1 when'the center-piece 8fiis in operative position.

The body member :1 'of the crossingds also provided Withupwardly extending symmetrically dispjosedribs l3,,,which are angularin form andv are located near its center I to help define. the trolley conductor Chanjnels 2.

The centerpiece sis of approximately rectangular shape and is made? large enough to practically fill the upper partof the aperture .6 in the bod mejmber' hin order that itmay act. as a ase'or compression-block against the corners of which piartsofthe ri bs- 13 willfstrikeandrest and thereby prevent buckling or distortion of the crossing when it is placed under strain by reason of the tension of thetrolley conductors 3.

. The body member 1' ofthe crossing is also provided with eyelet-s14 through which supporting-wires may bevfastened to hold the crossing in place after it is erected.

I, The body member 1 is 9 preferably further l provided with ridges 15 on its bottom side that are adapted to-guide current collectors as they. pass along under the crossing.

vlVhen 1t- .1sdesired to erect the crossing,

the trolleyconductorsfi -are placed ingposition ac-rosseach other and the center-piece Sis. placed.- at the crossing point-s0 that one of tr lley ond t v ie ;i t e,.e're v 9 and the other in the groovelO. The body member 1 of the crossing is then pressed upwardly against the trolley conductors 3 so that they will lie in the trolley conductor channels 2 and the center-piece 8 enters and is located in the center aperture 6 of the body member 1. While the body member is being held in this position, the bayonet approach members 5 are placed on the trolley conductors 3 and driven home into the outer ends of the arms t of the crossing, so that the trolley conductors 3 are firmly gripped and held in operative position.

The trolley conductors 3 will then be held firmly in a fixed position with relation to each other by the center-piece 8 at the point where they cross, and inasmuch as each trolley conductor lies in its own channel, it will be prevented from rubbing or chafing against the other trolley conductor. The placing of the trolley conductors 3 in the grooves 9 and 10 will also cause them to retain the center-piece S in the aperture 6. after the crossing is erected. Furthermore, the center-piece 8 has such a large area of intimate contact with each trolley conductor atand near the crossing pointthat good electrical connection between the conductors is provided and arcing is prevented.

If the lug 11 on the center-piece 8., which acts as a center guide for theeurrent collectors, becomes worn, the center-piece may be removed easily and be replaced by a new one.

I have shown the center-piece or compression block 8 as being substantially rectangular in form and the body member 1 as being in one piece, but it may be advisable to make the body member 1 of two pieces with an annular aperture 6in the center and provide a center piece of cylindrical form, in order that the crossing may be adjusted to suit any angle at which the trolley conductors cross each other. I

While I have shown and described a particular form of my invention, I desire it to be understood that changes may be eiiected therein without departing from its spirit and scope as setforth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: I

1. A crossing for trolley conductors comprising a body member provided with channels for the conductors and having an aperture in its center, and a grooved center-piece located in the aperture to cooperate with the body member in holding the conductors.

2. A crossing for trolley conductors comprising a body member provided with channels :tor the conductors and having an aperture in its center, and a center-piece located in the aperture and provided with grooves in its upper portion to hold the conductors and having a lug on its lower portion adapted to guide a current collector. v 1

3. A crossing for trolley conductors comprising a body member provided with chan- V nels for the conductors and having an aperlocated in the aperture to cooperate with the.

body iember. in holding the conductors.

A crossing for trolley conductors comprising a body member provided with channels for the conductors and having an aperture in its center within which is located. a shoulder, and a grooved centerpiece provided with a ledge adapted to rest on the shoulder and located in the aperture to cooperate with the body member in holding the conductors and having a lug on its lower portion adapted to guide a current collector.

(S. crossing for trolley conductors comprising a body member provded with channels for the conductors and having an aperture in its center, and a center-piece located in the aperture and having grooves in its upper portion placed at an angle to each other for receiving the conductors and maintaining them in fixed relation to each other.

7. 1 crossing tor trolley conductors comprising a body member provided withchannels for the conductors and having an aperture in its center, and:a compressionblock located in the aperture to keep the body memberfrom buckling.

8. A crossing for trolley conductors-cornprising a body member provided with channels for the conductors and having an aperturefin its center, and a center-pi ce provided with grooves "for receiving the trolley conductors and keeping them. in fixed relation to each other and having a lug on its lower end adapted to guide a current collector and act asa compression block to keep the body memberi rombuckling when under strain. Y

9. A. center-piece ior trolley conductor crossings having grooves in its upper portion for receiving the conductors and a lug on its lower portion for guiding a current collector. v I

10. A center-piece for trolley conductor crossings provided with grooves in its upper portion for receiving the conductors. j

having an aper- In testimony whereof, I have hereuntosubscribed my name this 23rd day of October 1925. Q

' PAUL G. SWVARS. 

